Button.



A. N. NEWELL.

BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.22. 1914.

1,16%,%% Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

ATTORNEYS WIT ESE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON. D. c.

rarn'r rmbn.

ALBERTNELSON NEWELL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUTTON.

Application filed December 22, 1914.

: washed. At the present time it is necessary to remove the buttons in order to avoid rust stains.

An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a button that will not rust or stain the garment.

A further object of the invention in the provision of means for clamping or securing the fabric covering portion of the button so that it will. not work loose or become torn at the clamping margin when it is wet. Heretofore, in this class of buttons the covering has been clamped or retained between two solid or rigid surfaces usually of metal construction. In the present invention the fabric covering is clamped between a surface that is elastic or yieldable, as cork, and one that is non-elastic or rigid, whereby when the button is moistened the yieldable surface will give enough to prevent the covering from becoming torn, by compensating for any shrinkage caused by the dampening of the fabric. In the present invention the metal used in the construction is preferably a non-rustable substance, as zinc, as ithas been found in practice that this metal does not rust, when subjected to water containing soap.

The invention, in general, comprises a metallic shell. member having a struck up marginal edge portion, a metallic backing member of the same material as the shell, to which the eye of the button is secured, and a yielding or elastic member engaging the backing member. A cloth covedng for the face of the button, its marginal edges being clamped between the elastic member which engages the backing member and the struck up marginal edge portion of the shell member.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the struck up shell member of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Serial No. 878,509.

the button. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the metallic backing member, showing the ends of the securing eye attached thereto. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a disk of cloth or fabric that is used to cover the shell member. Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal view of Fig. 6, taken through the diameter of the button showing the parts assembled with the edge of the fabric clamped between the elastic portion and the struck up edges of the shell part of the button. Fig. 8 is a slight modification of the structure shown in Fig. 7 in which a second piece'of cloth or fabric is used to cover the rear portion or surface of the button. Fig. 9 is a modification showing rubber instead of cork as the elastic part of the button.

Referring to the drawings in detail: 1 designates the metallic shell member having the struck-up marginal edge portion 2.

3 designates a metallic disk-shaped backing member of metal, formed with an opening to receive the eye 1-.

5 designates a circular piece of cork or other suitable elastic material, as rubber. The eye 4 extends through an opening 6 in the part 5.

7 designates a fabric or cloth laid over the shell piece 1, its marginal edge is brought around the rim 2 of the part 1 and is clamped between the inner surf cc of this part and the marginal edge 8 of the elastic material 5, of the button. The parts of the button are assembled in any suitable manner, as by machinery or by hand, preferably in practice the parts would be assembled in a machine.

In Fig. 8 is shown the same structure as illustrated in Fig. 7 with the exception that a second piece of fabric 9 is used to cover the rear side of the cork member 5, which extends over the eye t, as shown.

In Fig. 9 the numeral 10 designates a piece of rubber instead of cork as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 as it possesses practically the same elastic properties as the cork disk 5 for clamping the face or rear covering fabric between the edge 8 and the inner surface of the struck-up margin 9. of the metal shell 1. The metal parts 1 and 3 of the button are preferably composed of some non-rustable material, as zinc, in order to prevent staining the garment to which it is attached when the garment is washed. The elastic memlatter with suflicient firmness.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for it is to be particularly borne in mind that an important feature of my invention is in the use of some elastic or yieldable material that will compensate for any shrinkage caused by the wetting of the covering material.

Heretofore it has been very common to use paper as a backing material, which is objectionable on account of rapid deterioration, and excessive expansion when wet. Cork, especially has been found to meet the exact requirements in a washable button as it is a material that will clamp the covering fabric between metallic shell and the outer edge of the cork disk with suflicient firmness and at the same time yield sufficiently to compensatefor the shrinkage of the fabric, when wet. A rubber disk has also been found to furnish a suitable material for providing a yielding surface to clamp the fabric; The important feature in the use of cork is that it yields thecorrect amount to compensate for the variation in length or dimension of the cloth covering when wet.

It is to be understood that, when the ,finished button becomes damp or moist by washing the garment, the cork will yield suiiiciently to compensate for the shrinkage of the cloth and yet will still clamp the Heretofore, washable buttons have been so constructed that the cloth is clamped between two metal shells which do not yield to compensate for shrinkage of the cloth. In consequence, when buttons so constructed are washed, the

cloth is pulled out from the clamping shells due to shrinkage. This disadvantage is entirely eliminated by my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A washable button composed of two members formed from non-rustable material, one comprising a disk-shaped member located within the other, a cup-shaped memher, an elastic member having its edge spaced from the edge portion. of the cupshaped member, a covering for the outer surface of the cup-shaped member having its margin clamped between the said edge of the cup-shaped member and the elastic member, and an attaching member secured to the disk-shaped member and extending through the elastic member, the attaching member engaging the rear portion of the disk-shaped member, as described.

2. A washable button composed of members formed from non-rustable material, one located within the other, an elastic member having its edge spaced from the edge portion of the outer member, a covering for the outer member having its margin clamped between the said edge of the outer member and the elastic member, an attaching member extending through the elastic member and engaging the rear portion of the inner member, and a second piece of fabric laid over the elastic member having its edge clamped between the marginal portion and the yleldable material.

ALBERT NELSON NENVELL.

Witnesses:

HARRY M. BOWEN, H. E. HARTWELL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

